Kaiju
The Kaiju are a race of amphibious creaturesKaiju Survival GuidePACIFIC RIM: Be Prepared For A Kaiju Attack With This Survival Guide genetically engineered by an extradimensional race of sentient beings from the Anteverse. In 2013, the Precursors opened a portal between dimensions at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, allowing the Kaiju to enter Earth's dimension. As biological weapons of warfare, Kaiju are extremely hostile and toxic creatures seemingly designed with the intention to wipe out all humankind triggering the Kaiju War.Pacific Rim History Triassic Period During the Triassic Period, the Precursors attempted to colonize the Earth, but the environment proved to be uninhabitable for them and prevented them from inhabiting the planet. They bided their time until Earth's environment was ready for the Precursor's colonization. Creation of the Breach The progressive pollution of the Earth's environment by mankind made it possible for the Precursors to survive on the planet and colonize it. In response, they created a race of amphibious creatures, biological weapons later known as the Kaiju. Shortly thereafter, the Precursors create a portal that bridges their universe to Earth on floor of the Marianas Trench.Pacific Rim December Teaser Trailer: Raleigh: “We always thought alien life would come from the stars, but it came from deep beneath the pacific — a portal between dimensions in the Pacific Ocean,” 2013 The Kaiju first appeared on August 10th, 2013 in San Francisco. The beginning of the incident was a 7.1 earthquake; however, a massive, three-hundred-foot creature, later known as the "Trespasser," emerged from the San Francisco Bay and attacked the Golden Gate Bridge. After destroying the bridge, the creature proceeded towards San Francisco, and caused major devastation and cut a three-mile-wide path of destruction through the city. The creature continued on to Sacramento and Oakland, causing massive destruction in its attack.Prologue News clippings These attacks continued for six days before it was killed with three nuclear missilesPacific Rim: Tales From Year Zero. The incident in San Francisco was later known as "K-DAY". 2014-2015 Trespasser's attacks on the three Californian cities was thought to be an isolated event. However, six months later, the next city attacked was Manila by the Kaiju Hundun. Four months later, Kaiceph made landfall on Cabo San Lucas. As Kaiju began to appear in increasing frequency, nothing short of nuclear options were considered as a means to stop them as conventional warfare was proving useless against them. Following Scissure's attack in Sydney, Dr. Jasper Schoenfeld began to contemplate how to better protect the populace. Inspired by his son's robot and monster action figures, Schoenfeld and Caitlin Lightcap managed to create a prototype that would lead to full production of the Jaegers. 2016-2023 Numerous Kaiju attacked various cities along the Pacific Rim and were met with resistance by the Pan Pacific Defense Corps' Jaegers. Over the next five years, Kaiju slowly adapted to the Jaeger's strength, however, it is the belief the Defense Corps. that the invading creatures are losing to the combined efforts of humanity. They remained unaware that Kaiju's specific reason for attacking large cities and populaces was to cleanse the environment of "vermin"; in this case, humankind.Pacific Rim: Official Main Trailer The information provided by the Jaeger battles allowed the Precursors to create Kaiju with specific abilities or strengths in a series of "waves". In accordance to their increasing size and strength, the Defense Corps created a "Category" scale, classifying Kaiju on the basis of toxicity and water displacement. By 2020, Category III and IV Kaiju are becoming common Kaiju to attack the Pacific. February 2020 marked the beginning of the Defense Corps' downfall in the war against the Kaiju when the Category III Kaiju, Knifehead exhibits the learning curve that allowed it to partially destroy the Mark-3 Jaeger, Gipsy Danger and kill one its pilots. As the Kaiju begin to best the Jaegers, the United Nations put into motion plans to create a Wall that would isolate the Pacific Rim from the rest of the world in the hopes that it would stop the Kaiju would spreading and begin to move civilians further inland from the coastlines. 2024 By the end of 2024, there were forty six confirmed Kaiju attacks. Fourteen were in 2024 alone resulting in staggering Jaeger losses. Hermann Gottlieb speculated in the aftermath of the assault on Sydney by Mutavore that the increasing appearance of the Kaiju and their attacks suggested that the emergence of Kaiju from the portal would increase until there were mere day or hour lulls in their attacks, leading to the "Double Event" and "Triple Event".Pacific Rim: B-Roll Footage Gottlieb's fears were later confirmed when his colleague, Newton, "drifted" with a Kaiju's brain in order to gain information from the secondary brain in the K-Science Lab. Newton learned the first wave of Kaiju sent through the portal were meant to both test and weaken the boundaries of inhabitants defenses. The second wave of Kaiju would have adapted to the battle strategies of humankind and proceed to wipe them out in a mass extinction event. Leatherback and Otachi simultaneously attacked Hong Kong in search for Newton. The Triple Event later occurred during the mission to bomb the portal. Scunner, Raiju and Slattern all emerged from the portal to defend their masters from certain destruction at the hands of Striker Eureka and Gipsy Danger. The Kaiju and their masters, within the boundaries of the portal, were destroyed when Gipsy Danger's nuclear reactor was set to self-destruct. The destruction of the breach ended the Kaiju War and destroyed the facility of Kaiju clones. Characteristics Biology Kaiju are creatures of a highly toxic nature and have been categorized on the "Serizawa Scale". Each Kaiju is classified under five different categories. Categories I and II represent the weakest of the Kaiju, while Categories III through V are the strongest. The Serizawa Scale measures water displacement, toxicity and ambient radiation levels given off by their bodies when they pass through the breach.Kaiju Category Table The fluid of a Kaiju is ammonia-based. Should they be killed in battle, their bodies are triggered to self-destruct immediately.THE PACIFIC RIM MONSTERS' DECOMPOSING BODIES MELT CITIES SAYS GUILLERMO DEL TORO Upon decomposing, their bodies release a noxious agent into the air known as "Kaiju Blue", their blood. Kaiju Blue has the ability to contaminate the air and its immediate environment, making it uninhabitable. The blood of a Kaiju is highly acidic, corroding anything in its path. This makes it especially hard to gather samples safely for examination and experimentation. As a result, Jaegers have been equipped with weapons that cauterize wounds they inflict on Kaiju to prevent the spread of their highly acidic internal fluids. As silicon-based organisms, the design of their bodies makes it difficult to determine and study particular parts of their internal systems.'del Toro:' So they figure out that the base of fluid of the Kaiju is ammonia-based. So how do they neutralize it? But it takes a while because, first of all, it melts the pavement, melts the structures around it, makes a noxious gas. By the time they get to a Kaiju, the first few attacks, they can't even get samples or corpses or pieces to analyze it. The Kaijus are essentially triggered to self destroy if they fall. So it's a very smart weapon. Kaiju are colossal in size, averaging hundreds of feet in height and thousands of tons in weight. Two brains control the Kaiju's motor and cognitive functions. Bipedal Kaiju tend to possess multiple arms (usually two main arms and a smaller pair), the case ulna and humerus are visible and a bit spread, making it look like there were two forearms. Their bodies allow them to adapt and dominate on land and water once they enter Earth through the breach.Pacific Rim - "Destroy All Kaiju" Featurette Kaiju are able to breathe and survive in multiple types of environments, which include land, underground in extreme heat and high pressure, underwater and environments with no air, such as space. Kaiju are also symbiotic, as they possess large parasitic organisms that are attached to their bodies.Travis Beacham: Kaiju Skinmites Kaiju tissue is cloned from a single strand of DNA by the Precursors, who "build" Kaiju by fusing the sinew of body parts from other Kaiju creations together.@TravisBeacham, July 18, 2013 A manufactured Kaiju may end up with similar body types or limbs as another type of Kaiju as result of cloning.'Travis Beacham:' ...Its partial similarity to the Kaiju on the cover is owed to the fact that some (but not all) of the Kaiju have variant incarnations. If you recall, Trespasser, Knifehead, and Scunner have essentially the same frames with different heads. And when Newt sees the Anteverse, we can see multiple Knifehead-types. Link Once created, Kaiju are pitted against each other. This process initally singled out those most ruthless in the forms of melee combat to be chosen. The surviving creations are then used as biological weapons in order to rid a chosen planet of its lifeforms so that they can colonize it.Pacific Rim: Man, Machines & Monsters, page 128'' Despite their nature as clones, each individual Kaiju is a unique specimen distinct from the rest of its brethren, resulting in a highly varied forms and characteristics. Over the course of the war, the Precursors improved the Kaiju, each becoming larger and more powerful than the previous. Later specimens, like Otachi and Leatherback, possessed unique biological weaponry such as acidic spit and electromagnetic discharges in addition to the standard Kaiju's size, strength, claws and teeth. Behavior K-Science officers speculated that Kaiju are attracted to cities, locking onto centers of population by following urban runoff.Travis Beacham: Kaiju and targeting cities Kaiju are highly aggressive creatures, especially when engaged in combat. However, they are not clumsy nor do they have limited intelligence. Working through a hive mind system, the Kaiju can communicate instantly. This is similar to the way Rangers communicate in the Drift. Their ability to fight and attack in packs is demonstrated in their battle against the Jaegers, Gipsy Danger, Striker Eureka, Cherno Alpha and Crimson Typhoon. Using their superior strength and intelligence, Leatherback and Otachi are able to coordinate attacks against the Jaegers. Leatherback and Otachi tear apart and crush Cherno Alpha while Crimson Typhoon is taken out immediately by Otachi's tail when it destroys the Conn-Pod containing its pilots. Their role as weapons against the Jaegers is further exemplified when Leatherback uses its organic electromagnetic pulse organ to disable the Striker Eureka. Near the breach, while Slattern faces off with Striker Eureka, Gipsy Danger is attacked unexpectedly by Scunner and Raiju, proving that Kaiju are capable of planning and executing complex combat and ambush strategies. Species of Kaiju Category II *Onibaba Category III *Knifehead *Yamarashi Category IV *Mutavore *Leatherback *Otachi *Raiju *Scunner Category V *Slattern Unknown *Trespasser *Hundun *Kaiceph (Tales From Year Zero) *Scissure (Tales From Year Zero) *Karloff *Reckoner *Raythe *Clawhook *Atticon *Hidoi *Ceramander *Spinejackal *Taurax *Tentalus *Insurrector *Bonesquid *Biantal *Hound *Taranais *Rachnid *Fiend *Tailspitter *Kojiyama *Baby Kaiju *Verocitor (Tales From Year Zero) *Belobog (Tales From Year Zero) *Meathead (Tales From Year Zero) *Hardship *Hammerjaw Development According to del Toro there are nine Kaiju chosen and designed for the film, each one with its own personality and abilities. At least forty different Kaiju were designed in the process. Based on the silhouettes designed by the production team, del Toro would hold an "American Idol"-type contest and gradually eliminate the silhouettes they didn't like. All Kaiju are based on familiar creatures in the real world, such as gorillas and sharks. The very design of the Kaiju in the film are meant to reflect and pay homage to actors who donned suits to bring monsters such as Godzilla to life.Unbelievable Pacific Rim video reveals all of the Kaiju's secrets Etymology The word "Kaiju" is a Japanese word that literally translates to "strange beast," but is often translated in English as "monster." Kaiju may refer to any bizarre creature, but in recent times Kaiju is typically associated with a genre of films originally made popular in Japan in the 1950's. The most famous Kaiju in history is Godzilla. Other well-known Kaiju monsters include Mothra, Anguirus, Rodan, Gamera and King Ghidorah. Terms related to Kaiju include: *Kaijū eiga: A monster movieKaiju @Wikipedia.org *Kaijin: Human-like monsters. *Daikaiju: A giant monster, specifically meaning the larger variety of monsters. *Ultra-kaiju: Monsters in the Ultra Series *Seijin: Japanese term for aliens, also frequently called Uchujin which means "space beings". Trivia *The "Serizawa Scale" is likely named after Dr. Daisuke Serizawa, the scientist from the original 1954 Gojira film who was responsible for the creation and deployment of the "Oxygen Destroyer", which finally killed the original Godzilla. *Travis Beachman cites the connection (or lack thereof) between the Dinosaurs and the Kaiju was made deliberately vague as it ties to nature of the Precursors.@TravisBeacham July 19, 2013 *Travis Beacham describes the Kaiju as a "Darwinian Army". *According to Tales From Year Zero and Pacific Rim, four Kaiju attacked in 2013 and 2014. *According to the Pan Pacific Defense Corps. Timeline graphs, four Kaiju attacked in 2015 alone.Re: Pacific Rim (Spoilers thread) *In the novelization of Pacific Rim, the second Kaiju attack occurred five months later in Hong Kong; the third attack is eight months later in Sydney.Pacific Rim: The Official Movie Novelization Gallery Prologue sdcvcsxz.JPG|The portal used by the Kaiju to travel to Earth. Trespasser Prologue.jpg|Tresspasser kaiju_skeleton_625.jpg|The skull of Trespasser on display. Cabo San Lucas Kaiju.jpg|Hundun Dead.JPG|The remains of Kaiceph being transported via aircraft carrier. Kaiju City.jpg|A city being reconstructed around a dead Kaiju. Kaiju Excrement.jpg|A city contaminated by excrement left by Hundun. Kaiju Footprint.jpg|A Kaiju footprint. Karloff.JPG|Karloff attacks Kaiju Blood.jpg|Several workers sterilize a shore of Kaiju Blue. Pan Pacific Alliance Prologue.jpg|Kaiju remains confiscated by the PPDC Romeo Blue vs Hardship Sneakers.jpg|An example of marketing the Jaeger and Kaiju Kaiju Propaganda 02.jpg|A Kaiju costume promoted on teleivison. Kaiju Remains 01.jpg Kaiju Remains 02.jpg Kaiju Remains 03.jpg Kaiju Remains 04.jpg Kaiju Culture 01.jpg|An example of Kaiju culture in music and fashion Kaiju Prologue Fashion.jpg Kaiju Street Art.jpg Kaiju Church 01.jpg|An example of Kaiju worship and religion Kaiju Church 02.jpg Kaiju Burning 01.jpg Promotional Onibaba shott.jpg|Onibaba Gipsy vs Knifehead.jpg|Knifehead vs. Gipsy Danger Kaiju crashing through a dam.png|Mutavore crashing through the Sydney wall. Scsccs.png|The Kaiju Leatherback. Leatherback Roar.jpg|Leatherback Exclusive-enormous-pacific-rim-poster-133938-a-1367572620-470-75.jpg|Otachi rising from the sea. Otachi close up.jpg|Otachi Slattern-9.jpg|Slattern Concept Art Kaiju.1.jpg Kaiju.2.jpg Karloff Concept.jpg File:Art-axehead_concept_kaiju000.jpg|Early Mutavore concept (by Simon WebberBladehead Concept) Otachi Concept 01.jpg|Concept art of Otachi's internal system Otachi Concept 02.jpg Art-Slattern 02gGT1281.jpg Art-Slattern 02gGT1280.jpg Art-Slattern 02gGT1282.jpg Trespasser Year Zero 02.png|Tresspasser Kaiceph Kaiju.jpg|Kaiseph Brawler Yukon kills Karloff.jpg|Karloff Karloff.jpg|Karloff Trespasser Prologue.jpg|Trespasser Hundun face.jpg|Hundun Gipsy vs Knifehead.jpg|Knifehead Mutavore-dead.png|Mutavore Onibaba shott.jpg|Onibaba Otachi close up.jpg|Otachi Leatherback Roar.jpg|Leatherback Baby Kaiju Profile.png|Baby Kaiju Slattern-9.jpg|Slattern Notes References Category:Lore Category:Kaiju